The Other Snake :: A Meryl and Solidus Fanfic
by Cmdr. Gabe E
Summary: Snake has disappeared to confront Liquid Ocelot once and for all. In the process of looking for Snake, Meryl and Solidus are forced to cooperate with each other for their own purposes. Will this lead to friendship, or bloodshed?
1. Meeting of Minds

Disclaimer: I do not own the Metal Gear Series, or any of its characters.  
  
++++++++++++++++++ THE OTHER SNAKE : A Meryl/Solidus Fanfic By: Cmdr. Gabe E. ++++++++++++++++++  
  
Chapter 1 : Meeting of Minds.  
  
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"I'm sorry, Meryl. But we cannot be. You know what I am, and I don't want to give you the burden of spending the rest of your life with someone like me. Goodbye, Meryl.Goodbye."  
  
And then he left...  
  
That's the only thing Meryl can remember about her Snake.THE Snake she loved. Those last words he spoke before he headed off to face his brother Liquid. She leaned back against the tree she was tied against. She can feel the pressure of the rope on her wrist, pressing against her skin so hard. She winced at the pain, but she didn't care.  
  
She knew this was not the time to think of such things. Such things as pain, or physical injury. Snake was out there somewhere. He has not come back ever since he left for Liquid. And no matter what happens, she's going to get him back. But how?  
  
The bushes near Meryl suddenly moved.."He's back.Snake is back.", she whispered.  
  
Out of the bushes came Snake. He walked toward her with a gun in his hand, looking rather angry as he approached her. He didn't look much like the menacing Snake in the big shell. This time he was just a regular man, wearing regular clothes torn from the plane crash. But Meryl knew he was not just anyone. This man was the perfect clone.  
  
Meryl looked up at him. He was staring down at her with such cold eyes..such a pale face. It was definitely Snake all right. Not just her Snake..Not the Snake with the warmth in his eyes. This Snake's eyes were dead.numbed by the hardships of life..and one of them blank, as a scar ran across it, from his eyebrow, down to his temple.  
  
"I see you've regained consciousness. It's been a day since we arrived in this forest, but there's still no sign of Liquid or Solid's tracks. Looks like you've led me astray, wench! No matter. Once I've had enough of this game, I'll dispatch you and do everything by myself."  
  
Meryl looked back at him without fear as she spat back. "You know you can't reach them by yourself! You think I don't know anything about you, George? You're sick...and you know you need me! You're men have turned their back on you and I'm the only one you've got right now."  
  
Solidus pulled his gun from his side and pressed the tip of the barrel against Meryl's forehead. She felt her head press against the tree as Solidus pressed the gun against her. "Never ever taunt me, Meryl! Need you? I don't need anyone! I'm Big Boss' perfect clone! And your Snake? YOUR Snake?!! He's just a defect, little girl. If you ask me, he's the one who needs all the help right now."  
  
"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO NEEDS HELP, SOLIDUS!!! BECAUSE YOU CAN NEVER BE SNAKE!!! YOU CAN NEVER BE AS GOOD AS SNAKE!!! You can't even measure up to half the person he is!!! You're the defect!!! You and your brother liquid! It seems as if they forgot to give both of you something they gave snake.a heart!!!". Meryl wasn't scared. She just had to say it out loud. If she couldn't physically fight him, she'd fight him with words.  
  
The next thing she felt was the gun smacking against her face as Solidus hit her with it. "Shut up, girl!"  
  
Solidus pressed the gun against Meryl's forehead again, pushing her head back against the tree. This time though, she felt as if he'd pull the trigger any time soon. Her heart was racing.but she was ready. She grew up as a soldier, and she knew the consequences of being one.  
  
"You're too young to know what you're talking about!!!" He pressed the gun harderer against her, making Meryl close her eyes shut from the pressure. "Do you know what it's like growing up, with everyone expecting so highly of you?!! Do you know what it's like to lead a fake country, spending every moment, every minute of your life worrying that THEY will soon kill you.replace you with a new puppet and dump you like some worthless piece of trash?!!! You don't know what it's like to be up there with all the devils, my child. Devils are not underground. They're up there.atop the stairs of power!!! Remember that from someone who's been there before."  
  
"Can't you see, Solidus? That's the difference between you and Solid. He's been up there before..he's been there before. But he never changed..never."  
  
"SHUT UP!!! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO SHUT UP?!!! I am NOT your Snake and I will never be!!! At least I don't get into the troubles his human sensitivity gets him into. If I was him, I should have killed Liquid years ago at Shadow Moses. Pansy bastard that Snake is."  
  
Meryl felt the urge to punch him back. To get him back for talking about Snake in that way.for hurting her while she was defenseless. But she couldn't. The more she struggled, the more the binds hurt. She squirmed at her position as she tried to loosen the grip on her wrists.  
  
"Tsk Tsk Tsk.no chance, child. I may be old, but I do know how to tie up someone nice and tight.". Solidus pulled the gun away and looked up at the sky. "It's getting dark. We better move to a safer place. Looks like you'll be set free sooner after all."  
  
Solidus kneeled down beside Meryl and pulled out a pocket knife. "Don't worry.I'll TRY not to cut you, that is, if you stay still. Escaping won't do you any good. It will only get you cut deep!"  
  
Meryl whinced as he slowly cut the rope off her. But she knew she will have the chance to fight back if she could just time it right...and it looks like that time has just come.  
  
As soon as Solidus cut the last rope from her, she threw a fast punch right at his face, giving it all the energy she's saved from being tied up for an hour or so. The punch knocked him face-down on the ground. He collapsed on the floor, blood dripping from his lips, staining the grass beneath him. He coughed as he slowly pushed himself from the ground.  
  
But before he could get up, Meryl sent a kick right at his stomach, making him fall on his back from the impact. Solidus laid on the ground, panting, with a hand on the area right below his chest. "Damn you,woman", he whispered.  
  
"Looks like the table's just turned, Solidus. I'm going to be in control now.". Meryl picked up the gun he dropped earlier and pointed it at him. "Maybe I should just take the opportunity right now. It's not everyday that you catch Big Boss' perfect clone off-guard."  
  
"I don't think so, Meryl." Solidus quickly reached for his pocket knife, but Meryl was not distracted enough to not notice. She quickly fired a shot as soon he threw the knife aimed at her hand.  
  
...and then there was silence.  
  
..... The searing pain made Meryl drop the gun on the ground. "Oh God!" she cried, as she saw the large cut on the back of her right hand. She quickly tore a piece of cloth from her tank top and wrapped it tight around her injured hand. "Damn you, Solidus!....Solidus?"  
  
She looked forward as she saw nothing on the ground. Solidus was gone, leaving a puddle of blood and a trail of it right after him.  
  
"I knew I shot him! With all that blood loss, I doubt that he'd gone far enough. I hate to admit it, but I might need him in the future. I guess it's better to keep your enemies close than to let them wander off unguarded."  
  
After securing the cloth on her injured hand, Meryl picked up the gun and went after the trail of blood. 


	2. Then he reached out to me

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The Other Snake: a Meryl/Solidus Fanfic  
  
Chapter 2 : "Then he reached out to me."  
  
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She stepped through the forest.slowly following the trail, with the gun ready by her side just in case she encounters an intruder. "I can't believe he's gotten quite far. Looks like I shouldn't have underestimated him when I had the chance."  
  
As Meryl walked more through the forest, she noticed the blood trails becoming fresher and greater in volume. "Looks like he's nearby. Better be alert...I underestimated him once.and look where it got me: Hunting down a vicious wounded animal, who might just hurt me back."  
  
15 minutes pass and Meryl is still trailing her prey. "Damn it. Where could he be? Well, wherever he's going, I better hope he's not leading me farther away from where Snake and Liquid may be. ..Could i.have lost him? Well, the trail seems to continue on.."  
  
Meryl suddenly noticed the trail stopping on the ground beside one of the trees nearby. She quickly ran towards the tree and kneeled down to examine the last blotch of blood on the ground. "What the?! It ends here? But.where could he be?"  
  
Meryl suddenly hears the branches of the tree moving and she quickly looks up, with the gun ready at her hand. A flying squirrel suddenly jumps from the tree, to glide to another one.  
  
"Whew.....What a relief. How could I even think he could be up there? I think even he is not that strong to climb up such a tall tree, especially with that wound I gave him. You're being paranoid, Meryl. Get a grip and stay focused!"  
  
As Meryl looked back down on the ground, she noticed something on the area by the tree's roots..  
  
"Blood?". She quickly looked at the surrounding trees and noticed blood on some of them.."Huh? Well, seeing a clue is better than nothing."  
  
Meryl continued to follow the blood stained trees one after another. The gap from each tree getting closer and closer and the blood on each tree greater, forming blood-stained hand prints from her wounded victim. And then, she found what she was looking for.  
  
Solidus was leaning against a tree for support as his other hand, all red from blood, was clutching his gun wound on his stomach. Meryl can see his figure heaving and panting as he struggled to maintain his balance against the tree.  
  
Meryl slowly pointed her gun towards his back, since he was facing the opposite direction.  
  
"I see you've caught up with me, Ms. Silverburgh. Nice job for a rookie. Took you long though..you.you should have.caught up with me earlier..just shows..how much of.a..a rookie.you..are..."  
  
Meryl slowly stepped towards him. Her gun still up and ready to fire any time. "Give it up, Solidus. Come with me and you'll not get hurt."  
  
Solidus slowly turned towards her, still using the tree as a support as he did, staining the tree with even more of his blood. He was pale. The blood soaked his body, from his shirt to his pants. With handprinted blood stains on his face.  
  
"You could never shoot me. Come on, Meryl. Shoot a defenseless old man. Show me how similar you are to the killer Snake brothers. Heheheh..You know how many people Snake killed?"  
  
He slowly walked towards her, retaining as much balance as he could, as he let go of the now bloodsoaked tree. "Come on, Meryl.shoot me. Right here on the head. Or are you just as pansy as Snake to do that, huh?" Meryl steadied her aim "You're scared. I could feel it in your voice and I can see it In your eyes. You are scared, Solidus. Just give it up! Surrender!!!"  
  
"Never" he whispered as he slowly limped towards her.  
  
"I'M WARNING YOU!!!! STOP RIGHT NOW!!!!" She clicked her gun and made her aim steady. She aimed right at his heart. "I'm going to shoot on the count of three if you don't stop!!"  
  
"They really trained you as a killer, huh? Can't you see I'm now defenseless? Heheheheeh.". Solidus was now just an arms reach away from Meryl's gun.  
  
"STOP RIGHT THERE!!! NOW!!!!" She shouted, still holding her aim. She could see him getting paler and paler by the moment, his walk slowing down with every second. He was now just an arms reach away from her, his body point blank at her gun.  
  
"Come on, shoot! SHOOT ME, YOU WIMP!!!! You're just justifying why girls shouldn't be allowed in the army. You.are too.too.se..se..s..nsit..i.". Solidus eyes rolled back as they closed as he collapsed on Meryl.  
  
Being caught by surprise, she catches him, struggling to regain her balance as she feels his dead weight on her body.  
  
"Um.Hey! Solidus?!! Are you dead?!!!" She quickly kneeled down on the ground, and then gently leaned him against a tree. Meryl searched for any signs of life. She grabbed his wrists and checked for a sign of heartbeat....  
  
She felt it.."He's still alive.Now I don't know whether to rejoice or regret that I didn't shoot him. Maybe he's right. I am too sensitive." Meryl looked at his unconscious face.She saw him so peaceful, yet pale from all the blood loss. "This is what Snake would look like 10 years from now....Ugh! I shouldn't be thinking of such things right now!".  
  
Meryl gently, yet quickly unbuttoned Soldius' shirt and took it off. "I don't have any bandages so this would do for now.". She then bundled up the shirt and pressed it hard against his stomach wound.  
  
Solidus whinced as his body arched up a bit from the pain. "I'm doing this for you, you bastard! Hold still.". But the only response she got from him was a small groan.  
  
"Dammit! The blood won't stop flowing. Oh great..probably the best shot of my life, and here I am trying to stop the death of the person I was trying to kill! Well, if I'm going to save Solidus, I might as well take the bullet out. ...Oh I'd do anything to have a first-aid kit right now."  
  
The sound of running water slowly trailed into Meryl's ears. "Water!!! That's enough to cleanse the wound after the operation! A river maybe?" Meryl looked at him. "You're damn lucky for a bad guy, you know."..And still, she got no response. Solidus just laid there, getting paler and weaker by the moment.  
  
"At this point, I wish I had the size of Raven." Meryl stood up, as she carefully leaned Solidus against her, with his arm wrapped around her shoulder. "Well at least you're lighter than Snake."  
  
Meryl started to head off for the sound of the running water. She could feel the dead weight of him against her body, almost forcing her to the ground, but she couldn't stop now. Whether she liked it or not, she had to save him. Why? She didn't know. Was it because he looked so much like Snake? That the presence of him assured her that Snake would live up to his age, like foxdie didn't exist? She knew she'd never know. She just wanted to save a life. That was all..And she wanted HER snake back..and in the future she could use Solidus to get HIM back..HER snake!  
  
Meryl's thoughts wandered off as she carried Solidus with her. After a while, she could finally see the river right ahead.  
  
"We're here!". She ran to it with all the strength she had left as she carefully carried Solidus with her.  
  
"Nnn." He whispered, still groggy from all the blood loss. "Where.where are we? I'm not dead yet? But.I thought you.killed me.."  
  
"I told you.I'm not like you. And by the way, there is no time for that.". She laid him right next to the river.  
  
"You're lucky I know how to handle such cases." She dipped her hand on the river, cleansing them.  
  
He looked at her, with tired eyes."So you're going to drown me instead eh? Throw me in the river to see me drown? See me struggle for my life? Heheh.yeah, you're a soldier, alright. Reminded me of all the deaths in the wars I've been in."  
  
"You could never ever trust anyone, can you? If it is death you want, I cannot give you that for now. But I sure can give you pain" She pulled her hands from the water.  
  
"What are you doing?" He looked at her quite worriedly.  
  
"I shot you, right? I guess it's finally time I took the bullet out." She held her hand close to his wound.  
  
"Wait.You're just going to do this on your own?!! You don't even know how to handle such things, rookie!"  
  
"Either you let me do this, or you die!!! So stop calling me a rookie, or I'll leave you here to rot in your death bed." She positioned her hand closer to the wound. She examined it with her eyes to see where the bullet could be.  
  
"Oh God." Solidus pulled his head back on the ground.as he closed his eyes.  
  
Meryl slowly inserted her hand in the wound, causing Solidus so much pain as he felt her hand through his flesh. He could feel her hand going deeper. He knew it wasn't deep enough to reach his internal organs, but with all the pain he's feeling, it was damn deep for him.  
  
"AAAAA..AAAHH!!! OH GOD!!!" He cried out. Cried out as if he was the one on Ocelot's torture rack back in Shadow Moses.  
  
Meryl could feel his body tensing up as she looked for the bullet, She could feel every part of him writhing in pain as she continued to look for it. She suddenly felt his hand on her free hand, squeezing it, holding it tighter with every rush of pain he got.  
  
"Why did you have to shoot me so deep, YOU IDIOT?!!!!" She felt his hand squeeze hers as he shut his eyes closed. "DAMN YOU!!!!"  
  
"HERE IT IS!!!" She quickly pulled her hand away, holding the bullet that was shot in there almost an hour ago.  
  
As soon as she pulled the bullet away, Solidus' entire body collapsed on the ground. She could see his form moving up and down so fast as he breathes in all the air that he could. She swore she could see trails of tears on his cheeks. But in the situation he was just in a couple of minutes ago, who could blame him?  
  
"I'm going to get you back, Ms. Silverburgh. I'll.I'll get you back and make you feel all that pain ten times fold."  
  
"Yeah right. Let's see you do that behind bars." Meryl dipped his shirt in the water and slowly pressed it against his wound, cleaning it.  
  
"Oooowww.Aaaahhh." Solidus sat up a bit, using his elbows as support as he looks at her cleaning his wound. "Be careful! I've just been through the highest pain level I could handle."  
  
"See? Another reason why Snake is better than you. He saved me in Shadow Moses by standing up to Ocelot's torture rack." She pressed the cloth so hard against his wound to prove her point.  
  
"YOOOOOUUUUCH!!!". He quickly grabbed her hand away from his wound as he felt the pressure against it "Just what do you think you're doing?!!!".  
  
"Just making an enemy feel uncomfortable." She smiled back deviously as she continued to cleanse his wound.  
  
Solidus laid back down on the ground, feeling the soft grass on the back of his head."This doesn't change anything between us, girl."  
  
"I know that."  
  
"You know I'll still kill you in the future if I need to, right?"  
  
"I know."  
  
"You are very stubborn."  
  
"And you are one heck of a crybaby." She giggled, as she pressed the cloth hard against his wound again.  
  
"OOWWW!!! STOP THAT!!! STOP THAT AT ONCE!!!"  
  
"See? You can't even bear a single scratch."  
  
"Hmph! We'll see how you'll react once I cut your arm off, Ms. Silvurburgh."  
  
"Tsk tsk tsk.You do know you're under my control now, right?"  
  
"...no one controls George Sears..."  
  
"Well, you're NOT president anymore, Mr. Sears..You know what? I thought you were a good president."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Yeah.until I found out you were responsible for the shadow moses and big shell incident. After that, I thought you were a complete bastard."  
  
"Heh.well, everyone's had their glory days. Mine just ended.Now here I am, wanting to gain it all back."  
  
"Why gain it all back? Can't you just start anew?" Meryl slowly wiped away all the remaining blood on his chest and his stomach.  
  
"Hahaha..very funny. I'm not that kind of person, child. I'm not like your snake. Everyone thinks I'm a bastard now, so I might as well live as a powerful one."  
  
"You're hopeless, Solidus." She slowly placed the cloth against Solidus' wound to stop excess blood loss. "Anyway, I guess that would do for now. I would not move much if I were you though. We don't want that wound freshening up again. I say you've escaped death once more."  
  
"I know. And I've been long overdue." He slowly closed his eyes as he laid there. His breathing getting slower, as if adjusting to all this comfort.  
  
"It's getting dark. I'll go to sleep. You better not try anything funny. I've saved you once, but I'll NEVER save you again." Meryl got no response from him. He was just laying there peacefully, with his arms and legs sprawled on the ground by the river.  
  
Meryl smiled a bit as she feels accomplishment for saving a person's life. But this person was Solidus Snake.mostly known to the world as one bad man during the wars. Murder and manipulator. Meryl thought to herself if she did the right thing. Maybe she could have made the world better if she'd dispatched him earlier that afternoon. But she was already too tired to think of such things. Sleep was her only comfort now. Sleep and the thought of Solid Snake by her side.  
  
Then she fell asleep. Meryl's thoughts wandered wildly that night. She dreamt of Snake in Liquid's capture. She dreamt of him and he filled her dreams. Every second of her dreams.At times she would reach out unconsciously in hopes of touching him in her sleep..But there was no Snake.no Solid Snake for her to hold..  
  
5 hours have passed. "Snake? Snake is that you?" She whispered."Snake?".she slowly reached out her hand to touch his face. She felt half asleep and half awake, as if in a daze. But she didn't care. In this dream world, David was with her. She felt him take her in his arms, but he felt rather.uneasy.  
  
"We have to go now, girl! Quit snoozing and wake up!!!"  
  
Meryl suddenly shot her eyes open and saw Solidus carrying her in his arms as he trudged through the forest. 


	3. Enter the WolfPack

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The Other Snake : A Meryl/Solidus Fanfic  
  
Chapter 3: Enter the WolfPack  
  
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"What the?!!! PUT ME DOWN!!! WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO CARRY ME IN SUCH A MANNER?!!!" Meryl struggled as she pounded her fist on his chest.  
  
Solidus quickly set Meryl down on the ground, cautious that she doesn't hit his wound with all her bickering. "Hey look, missy. You were the one who reached out to me! You practically begged for me to take you in my arms!!!"  
  
Meryl knew this was true. But she didn't know it was actually happening in real life.and she also didn't know it was the other Snake who she was dealing with. "Well I.I didn't intend for it to happen!!! At least I still dream of the things I look forward to in life!!! Why are we in such a rush any way?!!!"  
  
Solidus looked around them as if he could feel something coming..as if he could smell trouble in the air. In a second, he found himself diving towards Meryl as they landed hidden in a huge patch of high bushes.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!! GET OFFI!!" meryl struggled again, trying to push him off of her, as solidus pinned her down on the ground. She could feel her efforts wasted as his weight is against her, helplessly keeping her glued to the grassy floor.  
  
"Keep quiet! They're coming.Just stay calm or you'll give us away."  
  
Meryl tried to stay as calm as she could. But she felt uneasy feeling every part of him against her "Well, I do hope whoever they will are go away soon."  
  
"Shhh.I know these men. They could smell and hear anything from a mile away.". That's why I need you to stay still..  
  
Meryl could feel the ground rumbling, like a herd of four-legged beasts were headed towards their way. As the rumbling grew nearer, she could hear the voices of men talking..She couldn't figure out what they were saying since they weren't near enough to be understood, but she knew that whoever these men were, they were the ones Solidus was talking about.  
  
Solidus suddenly held Meryl close underneath him.  
  
"Solidus!! What are you doing?!!!!!" She helplessly struggled, as she tried to push him off. She could feel him offensively keeping her as close to him as he could. She'd definitely never felt anyone hold her this close before.and this had to end NOW "Solidus!!!!"  
  
"Shut up and let me do the work! It's not what you think it is, okay?!!! Damn girls nowadays!!!" Solidus held her even closer as the men on horses came nearer. "Now stay calm, you hear? When you feel them right next to us, stay calm...you understand?". Meryl nodded her head in agreement. "And don't.I mean NEVER EVER make a single sound.Don't even breathe deeply, okay? Do that, and we're dead!". Meryl nodded her head again.  
  
She was not sure what Solidus was up to, but since he's the only one who had an idea of what these people are, she had no choice but to follow.  
  
The men in horses finally came. They wore trenchcoats and other gadgets around them. They also wore a scarf around their necks, almost hiding the lower part of their faces. All garments appear as if they've been worn out by time.  
  
Their leader was called BloodHound. Just by looking at him, you'd know he was the head of the pack. He had the stance of leadership, the face of experience and the eyes of a hawk. He sniffed the air..looked around and sniffed again, slightly in the other direction. "They're here.I can smell HER."  
  
Meryl felt a bead of sweat run down her forehead. As Solidus heard of this, he held Meryl tighter. Meryl squirmed a bit, but had no choice to submit to such.offense.  
  
One of the members of the WolfPack moved his horse closer to Bloodhound "Sir, the smell seemed to have fainted.I believe they've headed off to another direction?"  
  
"Maybe...we'll halt all searches for now. It seemed as if they knew we were coming. We have to strike a different approach later. Something that won't easily be detected by those two. Too bad Liquid wants both of them alive. We could easily dispatch them now if needed.Anyway, let's all head back to camp, men! We need our rest for the hunt later."  
  
Meryl could feel the sound of the horses' hooves fading as the WolfPack flees the area. This made her slowly feel at ease again, like a boulder just taken off her shoulders..but then she noticed Solidus' body still pressing hard against hers.."WHY YOU..PERVERT!!!!!!!!!!!" She quickly kneed him off of her with as much power as she could, and he gets off- guard, clutching his stomach. "GOD, WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?!! If they were any where closer, they could have still smelled you!!!"  
  
Meryl quickly pushed him off of her as she stood up, brushing herself off, as if trying to tidy up her body. "Well maybe I would have rather kicked their butt back there, instead of being HARASSED BY YOU!!! Look, Solidus.I may look fragile, but dammit, I won't tolerate anyone who offends me in the "sexual" area!! Do you know how hard it is to be a woman amongst all the men in the military?!!!"  
  
Solidus stood up, towering over Meryl, as he spat back at her "HARASS YOU?!! I PRACTICALLY SAVED YOUR LIFE!!!"  
  
"Yeah right!!! I've already heard that excuse a couple of times before, Sears!!! I know how men think.and you are one of the worst I've ever met!!!"  
  
Solidus suddenly grabbed Meryl by her wrists and pinned her up against a tree "Don't you get it?!!! I SAVED YOUR LIFE!!! S-A-V-E-D!! can't you understand anything I'm saying?!!! Those guys could detect anyone through any of their senses, especially by smell! By holding you as close to me as I could, I masked your scent since they're already familiar with what Liquid smells like! To them, I was just a shadow of Liquid Snake!!! Do I have to explain everything to you?!!!"  
  
Meryl looked back at him.Staring him in the eyes. No matter what happened there, she still couldn't acccept that such a man had to be that close to her..But she did have no choice. "Fine.I.I understand. Thank you."  
  
"Good." Solidus let go of her wrists, and once again placed a hand on his stomach wound. "I'm not like any other men. I don't get tempted by the likes of you. For me, you're just a soldier with breasts! Nothing more.nothing less." He sneered as he turned away from her, and grunted as he felt another pain shoot through his stomach wound.  
  
"NNn!!! We better get going. I don't think that sissy boyfriend of yours could handle Liquid alone." He signaled Meryl to go follow him.  
  
"Are you sure it's safe to travel? That group could just be out there waiting for us!"  
  
"That's why you have to stay close to me.Believe me. I don't like it either, but when they're around, you have to be right next to me, you got that, kid?" he looked at her justifying what he just said. As if to say 'you have no choice'.  
  
"Fine. I'll do what must be done. So.where do we head off to next?"  
  
Solidus looked at the way where the riders fled to. "Up north. They said they would retreat to camp. And I know the WolfPack..they'll always camp near the homebase..And I have a feeling that's where those kid brothers of mine are."  
  
"Then north it is." Meryl went towards the direction pointed by Solidus. She didn't really trust him, even after that "saving" stunt he pulled. But at this point in time, he's the only one who knows most of what's going on in that place.  
  
They both trekked through the forest, staying as close to each other as they could. Silence was their only form of defense. Meryl had no choice but to follow Solidus wherever his instincts led him. At this point in time, she didn't care about herself anymore. The only thing she wanted was to see Snake again. She just wanted to see HIM again. 


	4. We are who we are

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THOSE WHO'VE REVIEWED THIS FANFIC ^o^!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH TO LADY CROFT AND MY FRIENDS OVER AT IGNITE GAMING ^_^!!!! A fanfic is nothing unless it is read, so I thank you all for spending your time to read and review this ^o^!!! Take care, guys.and I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters ^o^!!!! As for spoilers, I ain't giving any ^_~!  
  
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THE OTHER SNAKE :: A Meryl/Solidus Fanfic Chapter 4 :: "We are who we are."  
  
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Another day has passed and Meryl and Solidus were still on their tracks, stopping at nothing, except to check whether the WolfPack was close by.  
  
Meryl pulled her arm away from Solidus as he held it tight to keep her close to him as they trudged through the forest at a steady, fast pace."Will you stop holding on to me like that?! I know this is for safety, and I know we're on a rush, but I am not a child anymore, okay? I am old enough to keep up with you, and old enough to take care of myself!!! Aside from those, I still don't TRUST you!"  
  
Solidus sighed, stopped on his tracks and turned around to face Meryl. "Look, Ms. Silverburgh. I've had enough of you YAMMERING about how much you hate me and how much you hate being with me!!! But at this point, I believe you don't have a choice but to stay close to me or DIE at their hands!!!"  
  
Meryl grunted at the thought of having no choice but to be with Solidus. She knew that what he was saying was true. There is no way, she'll escape the WolfPack, and Solidus may be her only ticket for getting Snake back. After all, it's his brother they're going after, and his brother that they're going to fight against.  
  
"Hmph! Very well.I'll stay with you, and I will cooperate with you. But damn it, George.if you make one wrong move against me, I think you already know what I'm capable of doing.". Meryl pointed the gun at him.  
  
"Hahahaha..". Solidus laughed sarcastically "So you still think you can take me on? I believe you just got lucky yesterday. After all, you did shoot me while I was defenseless on the ground. Tsk tsk.I can't believe that's what they teach you in the military". Solidus crossed his arms on his chest and smiled at Meryl slyly.  
  
"With you, Solidus.such ethics don't count. In fact, just thinking about all the things you've done in the past makes me want to kill you right now." Meryl steadied her aim and pulled back the trigger of her gun.  
  
Solidus slowly walked towards her and gently pulled the gun down "Yadda- yadda-yadda. I'm tired of all this cat and mouse talk. That was the past.this is now, my friend. And NOW is where we're running for our lives."  
  
Meryl tried to pull the gun up, but Solidus kept her arm down "Nggg!!! Well, who says you can't relive the past?!!! Who says you won't relive the sins you've done?!!! I know you, Solidus..and I know what you'll do once you find your power again!"  
  
Solidus felt Meryl fighting against his arm, but he kept her arm down and steady. ".And isn't it funny how YOU'RE the one helping me find that power again? You do know very well that once I find out liquid's secret, I will gain invincibility! The invincibility that big boss had during his prime years in the military!!! Then power shall be mine..and with that, the destruction of THE PATRIOTS!!!"  
  
"I know why you really want that so called 'invincibility'"..Meryl stared into Solidus' eyes."The real reason you want it, is to stop the sickness that's eating you away right now." As soon as Meryl said that, she felt Solidus' grip on her arm loosen.  
  
"You think I don't know about it, Solidus? Or should I say.George Sears?!!! Power and freedom is not the real reason why you loathe the Patriots. You hate them because of what they've done to you!!! They've crippled you with an unknown incurable illness that will eat your body away til the day you die! You hate how they've taken away your right to be called the best Snake who ever lived and ---" Meryl suddenly felt a smack on her left cheek.  
  
"STOP IT!!! YOU KNOW NOTHING!!! ...nothing...and I need none of your pity. This sickness is nothing to me." Solidus let go of Meryl's arm and walked towards the direction they were heading to a while ago.  
  
Meryl slowly trailed after him. She kept silent, with only the cracking of twigs and the swaying of branches to be heard. But she had to know more..  
  
"So..it is true..You're as sick as they say." She kept her voice down.  
  
"As I said, Ms. Silverburgh.I do not need your pity. Evil men do not need pity. And as you already know, I'm one of them." Solidus never looked back at her. He just kept steady on his trail.  
  
"Pity? Who said I pitied you? I just want to learn more, just in case I need to dispatch you after this mission is over." Meryl noticed Solidus clench his fist.  
  
"I am quite surprised with how cocky you are, my friend. You should even be scared of having me around. As you can see, I'm not as weak as you think I am. To think that I could helplessly hold you down without the need of that blasted muscle stimulating armor."  
  
"Hey Solidus." Meryl tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"What again?!!!" Solidus spun around, and as soon as he did, Meryl shot a swift, hard punch towards his stomach gun wound.  
  
"AAAAAAERRRRRGH!!!!!!!!! O-OOOOOOWWWWCH!!!" Solidus froze on his place with his eyes and mouth wide open "OH GOD!!!!! THAT HURT, YOU B!TCH!!!!"  
  
"Awww.did that hurt, Mr. Big Bad Solidus Snake? Call me weird, but it's usually times like these when we.'connect'"  
  
Solidus quickly placed his hands on his wound "That wasn't funny, Meryl..you know how fresh this wound still is.OH GOD, IT HURTS!!!!"  
  
"Call God often enough and he might take the pain away, hon.well, I guess we better get moving. I think we've made Liquid wait long enough." Meryl patted Solidus on the head, as he still stood there, holding on to his stomach. "This is really not funny, Meryl!!!". Meryl walked pass by him with a smile on her face, as she now led the trail.  
  
After a couple of hours, nightfall came once again.  
  
Solidus spotted a clearing within the forest. "There. We can rest there." Solidus pulled Meryl towards the clearing. When they reached it, Meryl sat by a tree, resting her back against it. She felt so relieved since they've been walking and running for the entire day. "Thank god I'm not a fan of high heels" She told herself.  
  
Solidus walked around the area and gathered woods and twigs for fire. He placed them in the middle of the clearing and started to vigorously rub a piece of wood against the pile, in hopes of heating up the place soon enough.  
  
"Are you sure it's safe here?" Meryl was still resting her back against the tree as she looked around, surveying the area from where she sat. "Won't the WolfPack spot us here easily?"  
  
Fire started to build from the pile of twigs as sweat slowly slid down Solidus' face "Nah. Don't worry about them. I've looked around, and it seems as if this part of the forest isn't included in their search routes. Anyway, there. I've built the fire. I guess it's time we finally got some rest."  
  
"On that, we could agree, Solidus." Meryl leaned her head back against the tree and slowly closed her eyes. She suddenly felt something solid press beside her. She quickly opened her eyes and saw Solidus sitting right next to her. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!!!". Meryl quickly stood up and moved away.  
  
"Saving your life!! THAT'S WHAT!!!! Look, if the WolfPack does pass by near this area, then my scent will protect you!!! They know you're here, but they do NOT know I am!!! It's not as if I want to sleep with you too!!!"  
  
Meryl quickly sat against another tree and held her position. "I AM NOT GOING TO SLEEP BESIDE YOU, OKAY?!!!"  
  
"Fine!!! If they smell you, then you'll harm the BOTH of us, and you'll never see your snake again!!! The WolfPack kill without question, my dear.unless of course if their boss Liquid wants you alive! But I doubt it. Liquid's learned from his past mistakes of keeping hostages alive."  
  
Solidus saw the grimace on Meryl's face as she slowly stood up. "Fine. I'll sleep beside you.But only because I need to."  
  
"Just the same as my reason, Meryl. Believe me.you're the last woman I'd wanna 'sleep with'".  
  
"Why? Because you know I can kick your ass in a fair fight?" Meryl chuckled and slowly sat beside Solidus, still maintaining some distance between them.  
  
"Not really..but yeah.that is one of the reasons..you've quite proven you are not the kind of woman men can easily mess with."  
  
"At least you've finally realized that. Even the great Solid Snake can't stand up to me, you know." Meryl sighed at the thought of Snake. She wondered where he could be at this moment. Could he be safe? Is he already...Meryl couldn't think of it. She can feel he is still alive. She can barely feel his essence, but she knew Snake was still out there.waiting for her. And then it hit her. Can he still be thinking about her? Maybe he really did mean it when Snake told her that it was over between them. Maybe Snake isn't even thinking about her any more. Maybe his mind is more focused on his mission now. Sometimes she wished Snake could just leave the battlefield behind and think about the people around him for a change. But she knew Snake will always seek justice.Justice in the battlefield.to defend the world against any form of evil. But what about his friends? About the people who truly love him?  
  
"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?"  
  
"Huh?" Meryl noticed Solidus looking at her. He looked so much like the Solid Snake she loves. And with the dim light masking his aged features, he looked like Snake even more.  
  
"You're thinking about Snake."  
  
"Such thoughts are none of your concern."  
  
"Just forget about him."  
  
"I said it's none of your concern!" Her voice was more firm this time. She didn't like how people probed into her mind, especially people like Solidus.  
  
"We, Snakes.we lead a certain. Lives without attachments. We can never be who you want us to be, Meryl. We'll always have that longing.Longing for."  
  
"Longing for what? What is your longing, Solidus? Snake longs for piece. What about you? What about liquid? What do you two long for?"  
  
Solidus can feel the strength in her voice. Strength in such a mocking tone. "You're right, Ms. Silverburgh. Such thoughts really don't concern us at this time. Good night." Solidus closed his eyes and relaxed, letting his body just fall into a deep sleep. 


	5. I surrender

Once again, THANK YOU TO MY FRIENDS OVER AT IGNITE GAMING ^o^!!!! Also, big thanks to my recent reviewer blackraven ^_^!!! Hi to Aqua, who's also established her own presence here ^_^.  
  
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THE OTHER SNAKE :: A Meryl/Solidus Fanfic Chapter 5 :: "I surrender."  
  
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Meryl looked at Solidus as he closed his eyes. "I guess even he, the great Solidus, the former president of the united states of america, has doubts about his existence." She thought to herself. Maybe he wasn't that invincible after all.maybe he wasn't that vulnerable and immovable as she thought he was...Maybe he still has a chance to.change.  
  
"Urgh.I can't believe I'm thinking all this about him.". Meryl laid back against the tree, and closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep. Did she really think he could "change"? He was the greater evil after all. A thorn on their side ever since Shadow Moses. He, Solidus, brought them nothing but pain. But there she was...thinking such an evil man, could change.  
  
"He may look like snake, but he is NOT Snake. I.I have to stop thinking that.that he could be snake." Meryl thought to herself again. "Why does he have to look so much like him anyway? It is hard enough to be away from Snake..and it is more difficult to be with an enemy who looks so much like him."  
  
Meryl slowly opened her eyes and looked towards Solidus. She wanted to tell herself that even if Solidus has a part of Snake in him, he is not Snake. And probably will never be..so she has to stop thinking about him that way. Stop thinking that..he could change..and be the Snake she.loves...BUT NO! This man is different.  
  
Solidus' eyes were closed and his head was slightly tilted to the side. Meryl can see his chest gently moving up and down as he breathed with his hand placed on top of his stomach wound. Then she suddenly saw his lips move. "The gunshot wound still stings, you know." Solidus said. His lips moved, but his body was still in the position it held, with his eyes still closed and his head tilted to the side, as if he's already too tired to do anything else. "Go to bed, Meryl. Plotting my death as I sleep won't do you any good."  
  
"Hmph! You have sharp senses. I didn't even make a single sound, nor made any noticeable movements. It won't be easy killing you while you sleep. Good night, Solidus.". Killing him has surely been a thought from the start, but it was definitely not her priority at this moment. Still, she had to sound strong. One of the things she's learned in her training was to never show vulnerability, to an enemy, even to a friend. She leaned her head back against the tree and closed her eyes again. This time, she was going to go to sleep for sure.  
  
Hours passed by.and the sun finally rose from the east....  
  
Solidus felt something wet trickling down his face. "Nnn.huh? What?". He opened his eyes and felt another drop of water on his cheek..and another.and another. "Dammit. It's raining.". He suddenly noticed a weight that's been on his shoulder since he woke up.  
  
As he looked to his side, he saw Meryl leaning against him with her head on his shoulder. She was all wet from the rain, with some of her hair covering her face.  
  
"Tsk tsk.women." He smirked. "They can never sleep without depending on someone to lean on.". Solidus gently placed his hand against her head to push her away from him "Sorry, child. But I'm not the kind of person who tolerates such physical contact.". But as soon as he exerted force against her, he heard her moan a bit, as if she doesn't want to move.  
  
"Damn child. Sometimes she does anything to stay away from me, and now here she is, forcing herself upon me, the 'enemy'. I will never understand this girl.". He looked at her.more closely this time. She seemed so.peaceful as she slept, some of her hair on her face, with her lips slightly parted from one another.  
  
Solidus gently reached out to her and brushed some of the hair off her cheek and her forehead. He felt her skin against his hand as he did. It's been so long since he felt someone this close to him physically. And then for some weird reason, he didn't want to pull his hand away. He just sat there, looking at her.His fingers gently tracing the contours of her face as rain gently pelted her with water.  
  
He ghasped and suddenly pulled his hand away. "NO!!! Urgh.what was I thinking?!!!" He looked at Meryl again, then looked away. "Snake, you lucky bastard!!!" Solidus couldn't believe he just said that. Since he was born, he'd had all the power.Power to control a nation.power to make anything happen, yet here he was calling Snake a lucky bastard.  
  
Then.he looked at HER again. This was the Meryl he hadn't seen before. The strong Meryl that didn't feel any hatred towards him. It was Meryl Silverburgh.or shall he say, Meryl Campbell, but without the hate..without the barriers. And odd enough, neither did he feel hatred for her.  
  
He looked at her even more..looked at her as if he was memorizing her face. "No.I can't" he whispered to himself.. "no..", but as he whispered the word, he found himself slowly leaning towards her.His fingers on her chin, gently lifting her face towards him "No.", he thought to himself. "I've failed.as a soldier", he whispered as he pressed his lips against hers.. 


	6. Pain Fear Desire Death

From now on, their thoughts will be in brackets [ ] (.there's gonne be quite a lot of those here ^_^ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
THE OTHER SNAKE :: A Meryl/Solidus Fanfic Chapter 6 :: "Pain, Fear, Desire, Death"  
  
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Solidus gently pulled Meryl close to him as he kissed her. [What am I doing?] He thought to himself. But at that moment, the only thing that mattered was the warmth and softness of her still lips against his. This was something he had never felt before. [Is this why a man needs a woman so much?] he thought to himself again.  
  
Could this be what he truly longed for? Could this moment be the one thing that will change his life forever? Change his life with just one kiss from a woman he hated, and who hated him in return? More thoughts trailed in his mind [THIS.This is not real!!! This is not 'love'.this is nothing but an illusion!!! THIS IS WRONG!!! I.i will never fall for this physiological TRAP!!! This is not real!!!].  
  
He suddenly felt the urge to pull away..to let her go, and forget about everything that's happened. But as he was about to do such, he suddenly felt her lips move against his. [What?..what's going on?]. He could feel her faint breath as she kissed him back in soft rhythm.  
  
She seemed asleep..her eyes still closed, with rain drops gently rolling over them. She probably still lost in whatever dream her mind is set, but her lips felt alive. Her lips felt alive as he kissed her back.  
  
[I don't understand..why..] For a man of his age, a soldier and man of his stature, this all felt so new to him. And even more awkward because he was doing this with an enemy.. Someone he would have killed days ago, if it wasn't for the need to survive.  
  
He felt his heart beat faster as he suddenly felt Meryl's hand against his arm. Her touch felt so different for him. All the time he'd been with her, she always felt so hostile, so angry, so rough. But now she felt different.she felt so soft and vulnerable.  
  
[ I can't do this!! This is all a trick!!! This is not real!!! This witch! ].And then he slowly pushed her down on the grassy floor. [ What am I doing?! I am a man who doesn't give in to these things!!! She is an enemy and I hate her! She's getting into my way! She's spoiling my plans!!! I do not need her!!! ]. But then he kissed her more... [ Maybe one more won't hurt..I don't want anything else..maybe just one more kiss...Then it's all over...I'll KILL HER IF I HAVE TO!!! Then everything will be forgotten!!! And my life will go back the way it was!!!! ]  
  
Meryl still had her eyes closed, with her mind in a dazed sleep as she gently brushed her lips against his...........And then she felt her body hit the cold, wet grassy floor......She suddenly felt something on her body, something on her lips.Someone holding her close, pinning her down on the earth she laid on. And then she opened her eyes.....wide with shock...  
  
Meryl's mind went blank as she quickly pushed him away with all her energy. "YOU BASTARD!!!!!!!!!" She shouted. Rage just filled her entire body as she stared at him. She didn't see a person. She saw a monster.  
  
"WHAT WERE YOU DOING TO ME?!!!! YOU ANIMAL!!!!"  
  
Solidus tried to regain his balance. Even his mind felt so blank, as if he didn't even know what truly happened..As if he just wanted to forget everything that he did to her while she was lost in her consciousness.  
  
The next thing he felt was her fist hitting his face. Then another one, and another one. The only thing his senses could feel were her hard punches, her cries of anger and the pain.  
  
"YOU BASTARD!!! YOU BASTARD!!! HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO ME?!!!!!" meryl felt all her energy concentrated in her fist as she landed them on his face. One after another.one after another. She didn't wanna stop until he was dead before her. She could see his body wavering, and moving with every punch, backing away with every force exerted. Odd enough, he didn't fight back. He just stood there.. But she didn't care.  
  
With every punch, she saw blood splattering on his lips. Blood coming out of his face.his mouth.the mouth that just kissed her.violated her. She didn't know whether the blood came from her fist or from his face. She couldn't stop herself. She wanted him dead.  
  
Solidus' mind was blank..thoughts of him being one of the best tacticians and soldiers ever, entered his mind, but here he was, being beaten to death by a girl, and he couldn't do anything about it. He just wavered along, backed off with every force her punch gave him.  
  
He suddenly felt his back against a tree. He leaned unto it, since he couldn't support his weight any longer.his vision was already too blurry. He didn't know if the blur was caused by her punches or his sickness.then he remembered [ The day is TODAY! ] He told himself [ Today is when I..].  
  
Meryl punched him again, so hard this time, that the side of Solidus face hit the tree hard. Right after that moment, he suddenly felt Meryl's hand on his shoulders, pinning him so hard on the tree and then she kissed him...But this wasn't the gentle kiss he shared with her a while ago. She was kissing him hard it almost hurt.  
  
[ What? ] Meryl told herself. She kissed him.kissed him so hard, as she pinned him against the tree. [ Why am I doing this? Stop, Meryl!!!]. But her thoughts were left unheard, as she motioned her lips against his. She could see the faint surprised look in his eyes [ Why do I want him?!!! ]. She felt his blood against her lips. She could taste it. The rain brought more of his blood against her lips. She could taste his blood as she kissed him.it all felt so strange for her. She hated this man!  
  
But at that moment, when she looked at him, as she kissed him, she saw the eyes of Snake [ Is this why I want him? Because he reminds me so much of Snake?!!! Because I miss Snake so much?!!! IS THIS WHY?!!!!! ]  
  
She slowly motioned her fingers over his stomach wound. She felt him flinch as she did this, but it felt more intense as he slowly started to kiss her back. Meryl saw so much emotion in his face.fear, tiredness, pain, bust mostly fear..Maybe it was because of the rain.  
  
[ Today is the day.] He told himself [ The more I can't keep this charade up......But..but why is she doing this? Is this what it feels like to be loved in return? I guess love really does hurt.....But what now? What will happen now that she's kissed me BACK? What?!!! I....I just don't know anymore....Everything's so lost...BUT I AM WHO I AM!!!! I can't be led astray!!!! ]  
  
Then he reached out, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away from him. Then he stared into her eyes..He could see his blood on her lips, dripping down to her chin as the rain carried it "This is wrong..We're blinded!"  
  
Meryl breathed hard.as if she was getting all the air she lost from the kiss. She pulled her shoulders away from his firm grip "Let go of me!!! I.DIDN'T MEAN THAT!!! I DON'T WANT YOU!!! That kiss.was for Snake! I DON'T WANT YOU!!!" She quickly wiped his blood from her lips. "Don't touch me!!! Never ever touch me again!"  
  
[ Why does it hurt so much? ] He thought to himself.[ Is it my face that hurts? Or do I hurt because she didn't mean any of it? This wench has corrupted me..and I have to get rid of her. ]. He had to act now!!! He knew he had to act now before.before.he completely loses himself to her. Or he thought maybe he could just leave her to them..leave her to them...according to PLAN.......But no.he had to end it here now. Nothing of what happened should be left to be said.  
  
Solidus quickly grabbed his pocket knife and before Meryl knew it, he held her tight from behind, with the knife pointed at her throat.  
  
"GO ON!!!! KILL ME!!!! Get this over with, Solidus!!!!".Meryl didn't know what she wanted. She wanted to live for Snake.to save Snake, but never will she beg for mercy from an enemy. Especially from an enemy who violated her.used her vulnerabilty for his own purposes. If she will die that day, she will die with her head held high as a true soldier dying for honor.  
  
"Goodbye, Meryl." Solidus whispered in her ear.  
  
"At least it's glad to have you back, Solidus. For a while there I thought you were becoming soft. Hahahah.you impress me. You're the only Snake who never sheds his skin." She said to him with a mocking, sarcastic tone.  
  
"You know why? Because I like my skin. And not even you, or your female ways will change any of it!!!! I'm sorry, Meryl.But I can't leave you alive."  
  
Solidus pressed the tip of the knife against her throat and Meryl felt her entire body clench as she swallowed her final breath of air..... 


	7. Past meets Present

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT ^o^!!! Thank you so much to my reviewers: PzYcHe, Lady Croft and Black Raven!!! ^_^ You guys make me wanna keep this going ^_^!!! I LUV YA' ALL ^o^!!!  
  
Anyway, I guess this chapter will answer some of your questions regarding Solidus' past... Enjoy ^_^  
  
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The Other Snake :: A Meryl and Solidus Fanfic Chapter 7: Past meets Present  
  
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"You will not stand in my way!!!!!" He shouted in her ear..."YOU HEAR ME?!!! I'll do whatever I want!! We are in the verge of victory and not even YOU or ANYONE will stand in the way of my dreams!!!"  
  
He pressed the knife harder against her neck. He could see her ebony skin glistening with sweat. "Nervous aren't we? He asked. What happened to the woman who took care of me, huh? What happened to the woman who never feared me?!! Look at you! You fear me now like a prey fears a predator. Hahahahaha! You truly are weak!"  
  
"Because you've turned into a monster, George! And that "woman" --- that woman you want --- she took care of a man who once cared. A man who once cared about those around him! I should be the one asking whatever happened to the man who was once there.The man who once loved m---"  
  
"Don't even say it! That was all a lie, you hear?!!!" He pressed the knife harder against her skin and pulled her forehead back, exposing her neck more. He knew that with just one small pressure, he'll be able to set the river of blood free to glide down her neck. He felt her swallow with fear as she ghasped.  
  
He was sweating. He felt drops of sweat rolling down his forehead [ She's a threat!!! A threat to me!! I have to kill her!!! ] he thought to himself. But he was sweating...  
  
"Look around you, George!!! Look at the children!!!"  
  
The children looked at them. Yes. They were in the children's quarters. Ainke snuck in there to rescue them. Free them from the bonds of George Sears --- the man who used them to kill others. The man who robbed them the right to be children, innocent and pure. She just couldn't take what he was doing to them anymore. Everyday of their lives they were fed with gunpowder to sedate them. They were taught to kill without mercy. Everyday they were given animals to slaughter and were taught that such things are those deserved by the enemy.  
  
From children, he turned them into angels of death. Cherubs of pain and blood. She had to put a stop to all of this. She had to let them escape. She had to set them free!!!  
  
She already had a plan. She already had a plane ready to leave Africa. A plane big enough to carry all the children controlled by George Sears But now all of those plans are about to die together with his victims.drowned in the river of her own blood, from her own neck.  
  
The children looked at George and Ainka. Their eyes seemed so empty and sullen. At the times she would treat their wounds after an attack, she would often wonder if there was still any life left in those black, brown, blue eyes. They didn't even flinch in pain as she stitched them up to stop the bleeding.  
  
One of them had bleach-blond hair. He was the one they called Jack the Ripper. He was one of the children Ainka felt pity for the most. He just didn't have any more life left in him. The only thing he knew was to kill. She didn't know of there was still hope for the child, but she was determined to still rescue him together with the others.  
  
"Well, Ainka.It was nice meeting you. Thank you for all the help back then. Hahahaha.too bad things have to end so bitterly between us." He pulled her forehead back harder and was about to strike her deep and true, when.  
  
"Stop it, please!!!!!" One of the children shouted. He was a part of Jack's group. Mr. Sears please stop!!! The child ran to Ainka and wrapped his arms around her. "Please don't kill her! We love her! She takes good care of us!!!! She's like a mother to us!!!". Tears started rolling down the child's eyes.  
  
The other children didn't move. They just sat and stood there without any reaction. But this one child --- this one child was there, clinging to Ainka as if he was scared to lose her.  
  
Solidus shot a look at Jack.  
  
There was suddenly a gunshot and the child fell on the floor, a pool of blood starting to build around him, as more of it came out of his mouth. Jack sat in his place, holding a gun, smoke rising from its nozzle.  
  
"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Ainka cried out!!!!! James, the child who died, was one of her favorites. He would bring her flowers everyday and would call her mother every now and then. He was special, and he knew that what their group was doing was wrong.  
  
Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she saw the lifeless body of James on the floor. He looked up to the ceiling, all empty and lifeless, more blood coming out of his flail, young body. James was dead.  
  
Ainka stretched out her arms, trying to reach out to him, and then George sliced her throat open. He pulled the knife from the center of her neck, up to her ear. Her eyes opened wide with shock. Blood started to drip from her neck, gliding down to her chest. Her mouth started to release the same as she tried to call out James' name. Still, she reached out to the dead child on the floor, and fell on top of him..dead.  
  
George wiped the sweat from his forehead and held the bloody knife to his side.  
  
"Burn their bodies." He told the other children. "Now you see what happens to those who defy me!!! Let us not remember this event again. Let us all bury this in the past! Sleep well, soldiers. There is yet work to be done tomorrow. Sleep well."  
  
He exited the children's quarters and went off to his own room. "What a day. He told himself." And then he smiled "Another obstacle out of the way. Hahahaha.."  
  
Solidus pressed the tip of the knife against Meryl's throat and she felt her entire body clench as she swallowed her final breath of air.....  
  
Solidus held the knife tight. In fact, too right for his own comfort. So tight that he could feel his fist clenched so hard, that it was shaking.  
  
"Do it, George!!!" She yelled at him. Was she scared? She didn't know. But she could feel the sweat all over her body. She could feel her heart beating faster as he pressed the knife harder against her. Meryl tried to move but she couldn't. He was just too strong for her. But why was she able to beat him up a while ago? Was he faking all of it? All that weakness?  
  
"Don't taunt me, woman!!!!" He held her tighter. "I'LL KILL YOU!!! You mean NOTHING to me!!!!"  
  
Then he looked at her. He saw her smooth neck, her cheeks, the face he was just kissing a while ago. The face and body that he didn't want to let go. But there was fear in them now. No matter how Meryl denied her fear, he could feel her breath and her heart beating faster. But he had to kill her. She was an obstacle. She stood in his way...Just like a woman he knew a long..long time ago.  
  
But why is Meryl an obstacle? Why did he have to kill her now? Is it because she's corrupted him? Corrupted his mind so much that he's finally fallen in lo---  
  
Solidus closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to shake that thought away. He never loved. In his entire existence, he's NEVER loved anyone. Or did he? Maybe he did..but he KILLED her. He killed that WOMAN. That woman who loved him so much and took care of him no matter who he was.  
  
He was a monster.Even he knew it. He can never love or be loved in return. That is his life, and he's happy with it. Therefore, he must end this one obstacle again. [She's going to die after all.] He told himself. [Might as well kill her now before THEY get to her.]  
  
"You don't have to do this.You can't force yourself to do something that you don't want to." She whispered shakily.  
  
"Don't tell me what I need to do!!!!! I do not need anything from you, you hear?!!!! STOP CORRUPTING ME!!!!" He pulled her forehead back harder as he pressed the knife against her neck with more force. So much force that a small stream of blood rolled down on it. He cut her..  
  
Meryl ghasped and let out a small, faint cry as she felt the sharp pain in her neck. She tried to struggle, but she knew that the more she struggled, the more the knife will press against her. Meryl knew it was the end. Everything she'd worked hard for, everything she trained for, everything she fought for in the past were all going to end here, in the hands of Snake's brother.  
  
Solidus saw the blood streaming down her neck. Then he felt his body shake more....His fist with the knife shaking the most.  
  
Meryl felt solidus' unsteady breath on the back of her neck, as if he was going to shout or cry anytime soon. Meryl felt the uneasiness in the air. [Maybe this is my chance! My chance to catch him off guard and kill him!]..But his hold on her was still too tight. Tight enough, that she cannot make any offensive moves.  
  
Solidus couldn't hold his emotions back any longer! If he didn't act now, he knew he would not kill her. So he had to kill her now. He had to take down another obstacle again, like he did so many years ago. This all had to end NOW!!!!  
  
"Meryl...Goodbye.." Solidus took a deep breath, closed his eyes, pulled the knife back and then plunged it into Meryl, slicing her smooth skin. He felt her flesh as the knife sliced it and cut it open. He felt so much of her body, her flesh in that one movement.  
  
Blood started to drip from the wound as Meryl fell on her knees on the ground. Her mind felt so empty.her eyes stared at nothingness. She can feel her blood gushing out of the deep wound. She can feel every ounce of her red self escaping her body. 


	8. Death is not for you

O M G! I haven't updated this story for YEARS O.O! But anyway, HERE'S A NEW CHAPTER :D! to those who have reviewed the previous chapters, THANK YOU SO MUCH! You guys and gals are the reason why this story is back up and running :D! Oh…and don't worry it's not the end of Meryl yet ;)!

Chapter 8: Death is not for you

She can feel the rain entering it, cleansing it as it carried more of her blood down her arm. She gave out a small cry as she clutched her upper arm. The knife cut it deep and wide. If the bleeding is not stopped, she knew she would die of blood loss in less than a day.

"I….I…couldn't do it…." Solidus stood behind her, holding the bloodied knife to his side…. "I couldn't kill you…." He felt his hand limp as it slowly let go of the knife. As it fell on the ground, he could see the rain washing the blood away.

"WHYYYYYYY!" he suddenly shouted "WHY CAN'T I KILL YOU!" He kicked the knife on the ground "WHY CAN'T I KILL YOU!"

But Meryl remained still on the wet floor. She was still on her knees, clutching her bleeding wound as she stared on the ground. She couldn't believe she escaped death once again. But still her mind was blank. She couldn't believe what just happened.

Solidus started to pace around her, feeling agitated, confused, but he kept on lashing out, shouting out loud. "WHY CAN'T I! WHY CAN'T I KILL YOU! YOU MEAN NOTHING TO ME!"

"I…I've never had trouble killing people before! I've killed countless men, children, women…BUT WHY CAN'T I KILL YOU! WHY!"

Meryl, still staring on the ground, not moving, quietly said "Maybe because you're starting to change…."

Solidus stopped pacing and stood in front of her. "I can never change! Can't you see! I'M A MONSTER! I'M A KILLER! A MURDERER!"

"But you didn't kill me…." She softly said as she looked up to him.

Maybe I can kill her now. He thought to himself. But the knife was now gone. Out of reach, probably laying in a patch of grass somewhere out there, where he can't get to it. He can still see the blood gushing out of her upper arm, her hand still on it, trying to make the bleeding stop. Was she really trying to make the bleeding stop? Or did she just want to feel the wound he inflicted on her?

Solidus knew that at that moment, he finally failed….The great Solidus finally failed. The great Solidus finally dead. The man who was once great, is not dead. Dead in the hands of a little girl named Meryl Silverburgh. He has finally died…Because of her…He's dead….gone. DEAD…

Solidus fell on his knees in front of her. "We have to treat that….or you will die." He said. His voice still sounded cold.

Meryl looked at him but didn't say anything.

He unwrapped his shirt from his stomach, where the gun wound is. Meryl looked at him as he did. Still, she said nothing.

After unwrapping it, he slowly reached out to her arm. "Take your hand away…Don't worry…". His voice was still monotonous, but Meryl felt something different about it now. Someof the coldness in it were gone.

For some weird reason, Meryl felt comfortable enough to take her hand away from her bloodied shoulder. She still didn't trust him completely Must be a part of his plan…but at this point…I have no choice. I'm losing blood, and I'm loosing it fast. Not only that, but I'm…feeling faint….. She told herself.

Solidus pressed the wound hard, forcing it to close. Meryl let out a small ghasp of pain as he did. He wanted to punch him for doing that, but she knew it was for the better. This is not the right time to let go of my temper……but why is he doing this?

"Okay…now I'm going to need your help in this, okay?" He told Meryl.

Meryl didn't say anything.

"I need you to hold on to your arm this way, that will keep the wound as closed as possible as I cover it. Don't worry…."

Why did he keep on telling me to "not worry"? Is he trying to make me feel comfortable around him? Comfortable enough to abuse me again? Maybe that's why he wants me alive…to USE ME again as he did a while ago….But I won't let him. I won't let him this time… Meryl clenched her teeth in anger. She still couldn't forget everything that he did to her. What if she didn't wake up in time!

Solidus finished tying up a piece of his shirt over Meryl's arm. "There…The bleeding's going to stop for now, but we still have to get you to a doctor."

Meryl suddenly pushed him away, still saying nothing. But Solidus felt its force nonetheless, as the force pushed him back.

I can't believe I'm going to say this. "I'm…sorry…" He whispered.

Meryl couldn't believe what she just heard. But she still couldn't let her guard down. She didn't know what kind of game he's playing this time, but she cannot let him touch her again. NEVER AGAIN.

"Meryl….Please…" he tried to reach out to her, but she quickly hit his arm away.

"Stay away from me!" She shouted.

What am I feeling? He told himself Why do I have to keep up with this! I let go of myself, I let go of my essence, my personality for her! This girl who HATES me! Who loathes me! Maybe it's still not late. Maybe it's still not too late for me to go back to who I once was…a monster……

"I said I'm sorry, okay!"

"You can't change what's been done!" That's the only thing Meryl said and it hit him. It hit him hard.

"Then what about all the things you told me, Meryl! What about all that 'talk' about 'change'? What if right now, at this moment, I could change?" he stared at her…He looked into her eyes, looking for an ounce of feeling…a sign that she will give him a chance.

I feel like an idiot! He thought…

But still, Meryl said nothing…..She still sat there, in front of him…looking at him blankly.

He didn't feel anything in her stare. Nothing was there. He knew she could never forgive him. And he will never be able to forgive himself for falling into this trap set by his feelings for her…The woman he wanted.

But here he was…PLEADING for this woman's affection….Pleading, begging for her forgiveness. He's never been in this situation before. Even to plead, he hadn't done before. He never begged anything from anyone, but here he was…surrendering himself to her…to this woman…the man that his brother loved…THIS woman, who gave him pain…THIS WOMAN who never loved him.

Yet he was there, sitting in front of her, staring at her, as she stared at him back…Stared at him with the coldness in her eyes. The coldness that once filled his soul before he killed it before he killed himself and gave it all up.

"Can't you see? I…I wanna change, Meryl…" he can feel his voice shaking…

"You can't trick me. You will not trick me again!" She told him with a firm voice. "What's this, huh!" She looked at her arm the arm that Solidus just treated. The arm that he himself had saved. " Is this another one of your tricks! Another one of your tricks so that you could win me back and use me again!"

She grabbed her arm and squeezed it tight "I AM NOT A FOOL, SOLIDUS! I once thought you changed, but I can never forgive you for what you've done to me!" She squeezed the wound harder. She felt the pain shoot up her arm as she HURT herself. Hurt herself for his pleasure.

"Is this what you want! IS PAIN WHAT YOU WANT, Solidus!" She squeezed it harder and almost cried out in agony. But she had to hold it back. She had to show him how strong she truly was.

"STOP IT, MERYL! STOP IT!" He cried. As he looked at her, clutching her wound, bringing pain to herself, he too, thought of pain. His thoughts were suddenly filled with the faces of his victims. Their faces filled with death and agony as he killed them, as he mutilated their bodies.

He saw them in his head, crying out for mercy. He saw their blood on his body, on his guilty hands. He remembered all those innocent people he slaughtered, the children that died on the fields, killed by his own deeds. But most of all, he remembered James and Ainka. Two of the people he killed because they wanted freedom…The same freedom that he was fighting for when he went against the Patriots in the Big Shell. The freedom he sought because he didn't want to be controlled anymore. He didn't want to follow the patriots anymore. THAT same freedom.

Thoughts of all this flooded his mind, and he was drowning in them. He couldn't see. His eyes didn't work. Only his mind saw, and he wanted the thoughts out. Why are they haunting me now that I've changed! WHY! Get out of my head!

Then he heard her cry out…"AAAAAAAAAHHH!"

He opened her eyes and saw blood on the bandage that covered her wound as Meryl continued to squeeze it

"STOP IT! STOP IT, MERYL!" He quickly lunged at her and pulled her hand away from the wound. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"

And then he wrapped his arms around her, and just held her close to him "Don't hurt yourself….please. We've both had too much pain in our lives already…we don't need more of them…."

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